Tag: Fundraising

The Peer-to-Peer (P2P) strategy, whether at a grassroots or major gift level, has always been at the heart of successful fundraising efforts. With the rise of 24/7 connectivity, social media and smartphone technology, Peer-to-Peer campaigns are more prevalent than ever, offering the ability to engage supporters, attract new donors, and build your brand through exciting events, giving days, and special campaigns.

What is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) fundraising?

As a concept, Peer-to-Peer fundraising is nothing new. Long before smartphones, tablets and wifi, volunteer fundraisers used all of the tools at their disposal to solicit and collect funds for a cause. In fact, kids would often take the lead, schlepping a Unicef box door-to-door to collect loose change on Halloween; or motivating relatives to give a cash or cheque sponsorship towards their school’s readathon. At their core, these are Peer-to-Peer campaigns distilled down to the most basic principles.

Every thriving relationship is built upon a foundation of robust trust. Relationships between non-profit organizations and their supporters are no different, and building trust with your donors goes beyond simply establishing good will. In the information age, donors increasingly expect both organizational transparency and demonstrable results. Fortunately, you can maintain and build donor confidence by ensuring that key information is available on your organization’s website, and by regularly reporting back to donors with concrete examples of investment and impact.

Picture this: You have a great cause, you have a great story, and you need to raise funds. Sound familiar? As a fundraiser you are working for the greater good, and unlike marketers who entice customers with the latest fashion accessory or tech gadget, your mission is to spark interest in a cause and motivate donor support.

Marlene recently got a $4,000 haircut. Before incredulity sets in, allow me to clarify. As a passionate supporter of Chai Lifeline Canada, an organization that supports the families of children facing serious illnesses, Marlene chose to turn a simple haircut into a fundraising opportunity. After deciding to grow her hair and donate it to make a wig, Marlene invited her friends, family, and colleagues to sponsor her efforts and the work of Chai Lifeline Canada. Reaching out on-line through a personalized fundraising platform, Marlene’s haircut garnered close to $4,000 in support for the charity within a very short period of time.

Every morning I check my email, scanning the countless “pitches” I’ve received, from sales notifications and subscription requests, to charity updates and feedback surveys, and I send most of them to the trash. You, and your donors, are likely doing the same thing. These days, we are inundated with constant requests to buy, like, or support something. So, with your potential donors being asked for something so often, how do you cut through the clutter, present your cause in the best possible way and even include an “ask” prompting them to take action?

You’re a good fundraiser. It shows. The people you meet respond to your words, your actions and your belief in the cause. So beyond shared values and your relationship building skills, to what do you attribute a successful canvas?

Recent changes have been happening to the way charities and fundraisers go about collecting donations online. There is a growing trend for donors to ‘top-up’ and cover the credit card processing fee applied to their donation. This feature has been so well received that organizations are starting to utilize this functionality to maximize their efforts in all of their donation forms.

As modern consumers are accustomed to paying a little more for purchased goods and services (such as taxes or shipping and handling), paying a small percentage more towards their contribution of the cause they care about makes total sense. In fact, donors are genuinely willing to assist with the additional cost when they understand that charities need help covering the cost of fundraising.

Having a professional, well branded website is still one of the most important tools for any nonprofit organization as it remains the central hub of information and engagement opportunities. That being said, the habits and expectation of website visitors have evolved considerably over the past number of years. As modern society has shifted towards the convenience of mobile phone usage for many of their daily tasks, it has become even more important for charities to tailor their online presence towards mobile-friendly capabilities.

First impressions can make a huge impact on whether or not potential supporters deem your organization worthy of their time and donation, and when it comes to online marketing, small oversights can risk a huge loss. This is why many charitable organizations have learned to invest substantial resources to developing an impactful web presence.

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